NASA succeeded in reducing costs by using private companies such as SpaceX, and its numerical value revealed

BySpaceX

Since 2012, NASA entrusts the transportation of goods to the International Space Station (ISS) to private companies such as SpaceX, but by using this private space company, the cost of transporting goods can be reduced to one-third It has become clear that we succeeded in reducing it.

An Assessment of Cost Improvements in the NASA COTS / CRS Program and
Implications for Future NASA Missions
(PDF file)https://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/20170008895.pdf

In-depth study: Commercial cargo program a bargain for NASA | Ars Technica
https://arstechnica.com/science/2017/11/in-depth-study-commercial-cargo-program-a-bargain-for-nasa/

NASA entrusts private companies such as SpaceX and Orbital ATK to private transportation of goods to ISS. It was presumed that utilizing private space companies can transport goods at a lower cost than NASA themselves did, but details were not disclosed.

Meanwhile, in the research paper published by Mr. Edgar Zapata of Kennedy Space Center, numerical value of material transportation cost by SpaceX and Orbital ATK is clearly stated. According to it, the cost of transporting a material weighing 1 kg is $ 89,000 (about 10 million yen) for SpaceX and $ 135,000 (about 15 million yen) for Orbital ATK It became clear. In the past, it was estimated that the cost of transporting goods by the space shuttle is estimated at 270 thousand dollars per kg (about 31 million yen), so half of it at Orbital ATK, about one third to Space X It will be realizing transportation of goods at a low cost.

BySpaceX

NASA has invested about 140 million dollars (about 16 billion yen) as a development support for the SpaceX rocket "Falcon 9", but the US Treasury has already regained the initial investment and tax revenues from SpaceX affiliates Mr. Zapata is thinking that he gains the benefits such as employment creation.

NASA also has contracts with SpaceX and the two Boeing companies on the transfer operation of the astronauts to the ISS, and in 2019 the first private company astronaut transfer will begin. The cost of sending four astronauts to the ISS is presumed to be 4,050,000 dollars (about 460 million yen) for SpaceX and 6,540,000 dollars (about 740 million yen) for Boeing, and again the space shuttle It can be expected to considerably lower the cost than the launch of. According to Zapata, when considering the transportation costs of both goods and astronauts as a whole, compared to the space shuttle program by NASA, private contractors can reduce the cost from about 37% to 39%.


However, opinions are divided on whether to use private companies to explore the area of ​​"Deep Space" including the moon and Mars. Mr. Zapata thinks that there is an advantage that cost reduction effect can be obtained by private use even at Deep Space, but the former director of NASACharles BoldenMr. Mr. revealed the idea that "Deep Space is a field of NASA" although he welcomed private aid in the low orbit close to the Earth. Whether NASA acts as a private company in space activities at Deep Space seems to be greatly influenced by the intention of the Trump regime.